Mumbai Police have transferred the investigation into IIT Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode’s death to the Crime Branch after his father alleged prolonged caste-based harassment. An abetment-to-suicide case has been registered against a professor, while IIT Bombay maintains that the student faced no disciplinary action following an examination incident.
FIR alleges caste-based harassment
Sahil Ravindra Wakode was a second-year BTech student in IIT Bombay’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering. His father, Ravindra Chakradhar Wankhade, alleged in a formal complaint that Sahil had faced severe mental harassment, casteist remarks and threats for about three months. According to the complaint, Sahil’s first year at the institute passed without major problems, but the alleged harassment began during his second year. His mother has also claimed that he was severely harassed and has demanded justice.
Professor named in abetment case
The FIR names Professor Suryanarayan Dulla and mentions two other unidentified accused. Sahil’s father alleged that the professor directed caste-based insults and threatened to implicate the student in a false case. He further claimed that the alleged harassment occurred at the direction of IIT Bombay Director Shireesh B Kedare. These claims remain allegations and have not been established by the investigation. Police have registered offences relating to abetment to suicide and joint liability under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
IIT Bombay responds to examination incident
Sahil was found dead in his hostel room at IIT Bombay’s Powai campus on Friday evening. Earlier that day, the institute said he had been found using a mobile phone during an examination and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers. IIT Bombay stated that no disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him. According to the institute, the instructor and Head of Department counselled Sahil and assured him that the incident would not negatively affect his academic career. He later returned to his hostel, where he was found dead that evening.
Crime Branch investigates the allegations
The case has been transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which will examine the complaint, witness statements, institute records and circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death. The incident is reportedly the third student death by suicide at IIT Bombay within seven months, prompting renewed demands for accountability, stronger mental-health support and effective safeguards against caste discrimination on campus.
